Charmed by the Beast: an Adult Paranormal Shifter Romance (The Conduit Series Book 3)

by Conner Kressley

  And it was leading me straight to the Empire State Building.

  * * *

  I rushed there as quickly as I could, still winded, still weak. I could feel him, though. It wasn’t as strong as it had been before. I wasn’t strong enough yet to keep hold of that sort of intense magic. But he was close to me. I knew that much.

  I settled in front of the building, absolutely certain of where I would find them. This was one of the tallest buildings in the country, filled with countless rooms. But they weren’t in any of them. Mr. Mandrake was dramatic, and I had been through this song and dance with these supernatural creatures enough to avoid having to look for the perfect spot.

  The moon was out, the stars were shining bright, and, as sure as I was standing here, those bastards were on the roof.

  Tired as hell, I dragged myself up there, taking the elevator because even though it was slow, there was no way I could trudge up all those flights.

  When I made it to the roof, the doors wouldn’t open. Magic bound them shut. I could feel that, too. But I had magic of my own, and I was in no mood to mess around.

  I threw a bolt of energy into the door, knocking out the spell’s bindings and forcing the metal to part at my will. The cool night air rushed in to greet me, and I stepped out just in time to miss the doors slamming shut behind me.

  I took that as a sign that Mr. Mandrake didn’t want anybody up here.

  Too bad.

  A loud howl echoed through the air, and I knew exactly who it belonged to.

  “Abram,” I muttered and darted off toward the source of the noise.

  There they were in the distance, Charlie and Abram going at each other like rabid dogs in an alley.

  A pang ripped through my heart. They weren’t themselves. Charlie was inhabited by a super powerful Conduit serial killer and Abram was…different.

  I had seen Abram as the beast more than a few times. It was safe to say that I knew that form pretty intimately. But the way he looked now—longer claws, a much bigger physique, eyes that glowed a bright gold rimmed in red—was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

  Ramsey’s words echoed through my head.

  He was different.

  Abram had changed. Satina made him something unlike what he had been before. He was a different kind of beast, a more feral thing. I could feel it in me, in the connection we now shared.

  And it both exhilarated and terrified me.

  I ran toward them, pushing myself at full speed. But could I get there fast enough? They were killing each other, using fists, claws, and magic to slice into each other, to rip each other apart.

  “Stop this,” I screamed, but I was still so far away.

  I could feel the magic colliding with Abram’s body, tearing at his muscles, chipping away at his bones. I tasted his blood in my mouth, felt his fur singe and burn away.

  “Stop it,” I screamed. “Stop it right now!”

  Emotions flooded me again, raging through my body. With it came the power that always seemed so close to the surface these days.

  It pushed out of me as I ran, enveloping Charlie and Abram and pushing them apart.

  When I got to them, I winced. Where Abram had been placed squarely in the center of the roof, Charlie had been shoved hard against a brick wall.

  Maybe I was playing favorites or maybe it was just chance. Either way, Mr. Mandrake lay unconscious at my feet.

  “This ends now,” Abram said, his voice rougher than I had ever heard before. There was a hunger in it unlike anything it had ever held.

  “No, Abram,” I said, moving toward him. “There has to be another way.”

  “There isn’t.” He growled. “I’m not stopping until that heart is in my hands!”

  What was that? Was it bloodlust I heard in his voice, felt in the pit of my stomach? “Abram, I said no! No one else dies today.”

  “That’s what I’m trying to prevent!” His voice was a roar. “And I will.”

  As he moved toward Charlie, I placed myself between them, blocking him off from his intended victim. “You’ll have to go through—”

  But I never finished. Before the sentence even left my mouth, Abram’s hands were on me. He pushed me hard against the brick wall, pressing against my windpipe with a massive and fur-covered forearm.

  I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. All I could do was look at him, the man I loved, while he threatened to snuff the life from my body. The anger is his eyes scared me straight into my soul.

  “You shouldn’t have come,” he growled, his brow furrowed. “It’s too dangerous!”

  I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to say the only danger to me right now was him. But the words could not squeeze through my crushed windpipe.

  I shook and shivered, trying hard to pull him off me. But I knew it was no use. He was too strong, and I was in too much of a panic to do anything about it.

  If he didn’t stop, if Abram couldn’t manage to control himself, he would do The Brothers’ job and kill me right here and now.

  Or, at least, that was what I thought.

  As my vision grew hazy, Abram’s body tensed.

  A bright blue dagger struck straight through him. His blood splattered hot and rancid across my face as he released me and crumpled to the ground.

  I turned slowly, knowing what I would find.

  Charlie was standing now, his eyes dark and empty. Power surrounded him, pulling at me.

  “No, Beast. She’s mine. You don’t get to touch.”

  Chapter 30

  Mr. Mandrake looked at me with Charlie’s eyes. Only they weren’t Charlie’s eyes. They were the same color, the same shape and size, but there was something in them that was much darker, savage, and more horrific than anything that had ever graced Charlie’s gaze before. The man living inside Charlie was pure evil, and he was coming for me.

  “You stay back,” I ordered him, stepping over Abram and powering up.

  The energy crackled around me in loud and violent bursts of red and blue.

  I had no idea what the colors meant, why some magic came out gold and others came out green or yellow. But it didn’t matter. I had found that the magic gave me what I needed, more or less, and right now, what I needed was some ass-kicking mojo.

  “Are you going to run from me?” Mr. Mandrake asked, using a voice that had been used to say ‘I love you’ to me more than once.

  I tried to shake it off, but it was hard. Whether I liked it or not, whether I wanted to admit it or not, this was Charlie. This body was the only one Charlie would ever have, and if I destroyed it, I would destroy him right along with it.

  But was this monster hijacking his skin going to leave me any choice? If I didn’t stop it, Mr. Mandrake would kill me. He would kill Abram, and, after that, The Brothers would destroy the entire world. I had to stop that. But I couldn’t kill Charlie to do it. Looking into those eyes, I knew that more than I ever had before.

  There had to be another way. There had to be something.

  “Please tell me you’re not going to run,” he said, twisting his fingers and forming another blue dagger like the one that had just impaled Abram.

  Looking down, I saw him. He was completely still, not even breathing. Panic rose in my chest, but I had no time to indulge it. Abram would be okay. He had to be okay. But only if I stayed focused and handled this. Mr. Mandrake was still coming after me, still waltzing in my direction with that deadly ‘bestowed by The Brothers’ power set.

  “I really would have expected more from you. Given how horrifically afraid of you The Brothers seemed to be, I imagined you’d be more fearsome than this.” He bared his teeth, similar to a smile but without any happiness or joy. “I mean, I knew you’d never actually beat me, but I assumed you’d at least act with a dash or two of dignity.” He made a sour face. “But look at you, backing away like some scared child, tears in your eyes and your lip wobbling. It’s so disappointing, so damn mediocre.”

  He was probably right. I was a bi
g girl from Connecticut whose dad left her, whose mom died, and who flaked out when the cards were down. Why would The Brothers be afraid of me? I was nothing.

  Abram’s words flashed through my head. His love pulsed strong through my veins. He believed in me. He knew me better than anyone in the whole world, and he thought The Brothers were right to be afraid of me.

  And, if they were, then this out-of-time poser had better watch out. I was through backing away. I was done being mediocre. I was coming for him, and I was going to take him apart.

  “Really?” I asked, advancing another two steps toward him. “I was about to say the same thing.”

  The power rushed through me now, pouring into the roof and shaking the core of where we were standing. This was the Empire State Building, and I had the power to take the whole thing down.

  “You think I’m mediocre,” I spit out. “You think I’m nothing to worry about? Before this, you might have been right. But you messed with someone I love, and I’m not going to take that lying down.”

  When the charge of my power neared its tipping point, I clapped my hands together, knocking Mr. Mandrake off his feet. He fell into what was now a pool of bright energy. He began to shake, to shudder uncontrollably, as the energy ran through him, electrifying him.

  Blood began to pour from his nose and eyes.

  …from Charlie’s nose and eyes.

  A breath caught in my throat, and I pulled back. I forced the energy away, pulling back into me.

  Mr. Mandrake just lay there in Charlie’s body, nearly decimated.

  I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t hurt him regardless of what that meant.

  But I wouldn’t have to. Midnight would come soon and do my job for me. Charlie’s body would burn out, and Mr. Mandrake’s heart would be transferred to another vessel to start this nightmare all over again.

  I couldn’t have that. But what could I do?

  “Of course…” I said in a hushed exclamation.

  I knew it. I knew what I had to do, the only way this could possibly end, that I would ever allow it to end. The only problem was, it would be nearly impossible to pull off, but I didn’t exactly have time to think up a better plan. Heck, I’d spent the last few days trying to do just that, and this was the closest I’d come.

  I took out my phone and dialed 911. It was a very mortal thing to do, but hey, I had been mortal most of my life. There was little wonder that I would revert to it now.

  For the first time, I realized how utterly empty the roof was. It was the first time I had ever seen walking room on the roof of this place, but it was only the three of us now. Thank God and magic for that at least.

  An operator came on the other end of the line. “9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

  “A man with a heart condition just passed out on top of the Empire State Building. I need someone to come here right now.”

  “I’m dispatching someone now. Is there anyone in the building who can help?”

  “Yes ma’am,” I said, “but there’s been a power outage in the building, and this man needs immediate attention.”

  “Stand by,” she said before disconnecting the call.

  I took a deep breath. For my plan to work, I would have to time this out in perfect synchronization. There could be no complications.

  Unfortunately for me, a giant, fuming complication just woke up.

  And he was pissed.

  Abram growled as he tore toward Charlie’s unconscious body.

  Mimicking what I did before, but hoping for a different result, I jumped in front of Charlie. “Stop!” I pleaded.

  I winced as he charged me, but relaxed just a little as he eased to a stop.

  I had never seen Abram this animalistic. His chest heaved with wild, ragged breathes. But at least he was alive. Hopefully, that meant I would be able to reason with him.

  “I know you’re angry,” I said. “And I know something is happening inside of you. But I also know that, deep down, you’re still the man I know, the man I love.” I moved closer to him. “You’re in there somewhere, Abram. And I know if you try hard enough, you can take control. You’re a good man, the kind of man who will do what’s right.” I was closer still now, close enough to brush my hand against his mammoth arm. “I need to go now, and I need to leave you here.” I swallowed hard. “Here with Charlie.”

  Abram growled hard.

  “I need you not to hurt him, Abram. I need you to just watch, to just stand here. I know you want to hurt him, and I know that you think killing him is the right thing. You believe that. But you also believe in me. You believe I’m smart enough to know right from wrong. And right now, this is what’s right. So I want you to promise me you won’t hurt him. For me. Please.” I moved my hand from his arm to his cheek. “Just tell me. Nod to me, and I’ll believe you. I know you wouldn’t lie to me. So just tell me you won’t hurt him.”

  Abram looked at me for a long moment, his chest still heaving. Then, with a nearly imperceptible motion, he nodded.

  That was all I needed.

  “Thank you,” I whispered. “I knew you wouldn’t let me down. I’ll be right back.”

  I moved to the edge of the roof. I didn’t have much energy left, as depleted as I was. But, as low as I was on energy, I was even lower on time. Midnight was coming fast, and the ambulance was coming faster. If I missed either of them, then all of this was lost.

  I pulled all the energy I had left, using just a fraction of it to free the door from the spell keeping it shut.

  The rest, I would need for myself.

  I took a deep breath. And then, I jumped.

  * * *

  I wasn’t capable of flight. It was more like really big jumps and slow falls. I bounded from building to building with these magical leaps, fueled by little more than adrenaline and a waning supply of magic. Since this was the city that never sleeps, it also meant frequent incantations to blur away the memories of anyone who might see me.

  I couldn’t afford the waste of my magical energy, and yet, I had no choice.

  By the time I reached the granite roof of our hotel, I was completely exhausted. The blood loss was taking its toll, and the magic was too slow to build back up. Of course, that might be because I was using it up before it had a chance to replenish.

  I pushed through the door and made my way back to the room that had served as our makeshift headquarters. Opening the door, I found Ramsey, Cindy, and Timmon sitting in a tense little circle. Each of them seemed more surprised than the last to see me stumble in.

  “What? Did you figure I’d be dead by now?”

  “Honestly,” Ramsey asked, standing to meet me. “Sort of.”

  “Ye of little faith,” I answered. “Now where is that sonofabitch?”

  “You’re going to have to be more specific than that, I’m afraid,” Ramsey said.

  “Edwin. Is he awake?”

  “No, thank God,” Ramsey answered.

  “Well, we’re going to change that.”

  “Ch-change it?” Ramsey’s eyes widened. “You want to wake the evil Conduit who has the power to rip us all apart?”

  “That’s about the size of it,” I said. “And don’t worry. I’m pretty sure I have him out-powered.”

  “Perhaps at another time, that might be true,” Timmon said in his stoic voice, standing alongside Ramsey. “But that is wholly untrue in your current condition.”

  “I’m not going to fight you on this, dude,” I said.

  “I wouldn’t hear of it,” he answered. Pulling a knife from his pocket, he drew a long gash across his palm. “I only want to even the playing field.”

  “I’m half Supplicant,” I said, waving him off. “I appreciate the offer, but I make my own.”

  “True,” he answered. “But the magic in your blood has been compromised. It has been tapped and drained again and again. Its potency is undoubtedly weakened.” He walked toward me. “Mine is not.”

  He pressed a blood-covered palm against the bare sk
in on my arm, and I shuddered as Timmon’s energy filled me up. It was healing. It was rejuvenating. It was goddamn magical.

  No wonder every mystical being this side of the Mississippi wanted a piece of me. This Supplicant thing was really awesome.

  “You know much of your Conduit side,” Timmon said, looking me square in the eyes. “But you know little of your Supplicant nature, of the rich history and honor that resides with being half of who you are. Perhaps, should we survive this, that could be remedied.”

  “I think I’d like that,” I answered, feeling an entire world away from the exhausted, spent woman who had landed here. “But let’s focus on surviving this first.”

  “Of course,” Timmon answered, nodding and moving away from me.

  “Edwin,” I said, nearly barking at Ramsey.

  “I can’t stop you?” he asked.

  “I doubt it, but honestly, I wouldn’t try if I were you,” I warned.

  “Fair enough,” he said, displaying all the intelligent submissiveness you would expect from someone married to a woman like Briar. “Right this way.”

  We walked into the back room, where the bastard was still tied up in magical chains, softly snoring. He wouldn’t be at peace for much longer. One way or another, after tonight, he would never be again.

  “Close the door,” I said, looking at Ramsey.

  His brow crinkled. “Why?”

  “Because Cindy and Timmon don’t know me the way you do. All they know is that I’m very powerful. Frankly, I don’t want to scare them.”

  Reluctantly, Ramsey closed the door, eyeing the way I was glaring at Edwin.

  “Get up,” I said too softly to wake anyone, let alone someone in a magically induced coma.

  Of course, it wasn’t my voice that I was going to use to rouse him. Tapping into my newly replenished source of energy, I shot a bolt of the most wicked stuff I could conjure right into Edwin’s fat head.

  He jumped upright, the magical chains pulling him back down to the floor. A sly smile graced his face, as if he were in control. But I quickly shut that down.